Traversing mechanism



J. STEYH TRAVERSING MECHANISM Sept. 10, 1968 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 8, 1966 INVENTOR. :JOSEPH STEYH ATTORNEY Sept. 10, 1968 J. STEYH 3,400,594

TRAVERSING MECHANISM Filed July 8, 1966 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Ln Q 1 A l W 2 75 i q Q w 1 a; Q Q

k 1 INVENTOR. m JOSEPH .STEVH 1 m ATTORNEY [III Sept. 10, 1968 J. STEYH 3,400,594

TRAVERSING MECHANISM Filed July 8, 1966 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVFNTOR. JOSEPH STEYH ATTORNEY.

United States Patent Oflice 3,400,594 Patented Sept. 10, 1968 3,400,594 TRAVERSING MECHANISM Joseph Steyh, 89 John Ryle Ave., Haledon, Paterson, NJ. 07508 Filed July 8, 1966, Ser. No. 563,757 4 Claims. (Cl. 74-37) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A traversing mechanism including a carriage, pneumatic clamps for reversing engagement of said carriage, time belt loops engaged by said clamps, and means including a cam means fixed on a control rod and bleeder valves in longitudinal contact with said cam, said bleeder valves utilized as limit transfer members controlled by movement of said carriage for repeatedly reversing said carriage direction.

This invention relates to traversing mechanisms and is directed particularly to improvements in traversing mechanism of the type used for continuously layer winding textile or extruded plastic tapes, ribbons, wires and the like on spools in quantity production and also for any other form of required reciprocal motion. More particularly, this invention relates to an improved form of the the traversing mechanism disclosed in Patent No. 3,029,- 649 issued to me on Apr. 17, 1962, In the above-mentioned patent there is described a traversing mechanism which utilizes a variable speed, unidirectional timing belt in the form of an elongated loop as motive power, and which comprises a traverse carriage slidably movable along the length of the timing loop and having means to engage first one and then the other of the forward and reverse lengths of the loop for immediately and repeatedly reversing carriage direction. Pneumatic clamps are utilized for reversing engagement of the transverse carriage with the timing belt loop lengths, which pneumatic clamps are controlled by solenoid-actuated air valves energized by limit switches actuated by abutment mechanism controlled by the carriage. It is the principal object of the present invention to simplify and improve the control mechanism for the pneumatic clamps by elimination of the solenoid-actuated air valves and their associated electrical circuitry and limit switches and substituting therefor air valve means controlled by bleeder valves utilized as limit transfer members controlled by movement of the carriage for repeatedly reversing carriage direction.

A more particular object of the invention is to provide an improved control mechanism for pneumatic clamps of a traversing mechanism of the type described above wherein control of the bleeder valves is effected by slight axial movement in one direction or the other of a control rod in spaced, parallel position with respect to a guide rod along which the carriage reciprocates, such movement being effected by the carriage abutting stop members adjustably positioned along each end of said control rod, said control rod being journalled for limited axial movement thereof with respect to the machine framework so as to be moved sufficiently to actuate the corresponding one of the bleeder operators each time the carriage moves into abutment with a stop member.

Another object is to provide a traversing mechanism of the above nature wherein the length of traverse can readily be adjusted, even while the machine is in operation.

Another object is to provide a traversing mechanism of the above nature which will be economical to manufacture, and readily adaptable to a wide range of traverse mechanism applications, yet which is simple, dependable, accurate, and durable in use.

Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description when read with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings, wherein like reference numerals denote corresponding parts throughout the several views:

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of a traversing mechanism embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is a partial front elevational view thereof illustrating the pneumatic reversal control mechanism;

FIG. 3 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken along the line 33 of FIG. 1 in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 4 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken along the line 44 of FIG. 1 in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 5 is a front elevational view of the traverse carriage; and

FIG. 6 is a horizontal cross-sectional view taken along the line 66 of FIG. 5 in the direction of the arrows.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, the reference numeral 10 in FIG. 1 designates, generally, a traversing mechanism embodying the invention, the same comprising a pair of spaced, parallel, rectangular end plates 11, 12 against the inside faces of which are' secured as by welding or machine screws (not illustrated), a pair of fiat, vertically-extending rectangular support bars 13, 14, respectively. Vertically arranged flat cross bars 15, 16 extend between the support bars 13, 14 and are fixed thereto at each side, such as by welding, and serve to fix said support bars and their respective end plates 11, 12 in spaced parallel relation.

A transverse guide rod 17 is fixed in parallel relation below and between the cross bars 15, 16 (see FIG. 3). Fixed along the outside of the cross bar 15 is a wide, flat bearing support bar 18 within which is journalled, near one end, a pulley shaft 19 carrying a drive pulley 20 at its outer end and a belt pulley 21 at its inner end, i.e., between the cross bars 15, 16. Near the opposite end of the support bar 18 there is provided a longitudinally extending slot 22 in alignment with the axis of the pulley shaft 19. A second belt pulley 23 is rotatably journalled on a reduced diameter portion 24 at one end of a shaft 25 and held thereon by a collar 26. The other end of the shaft 25 is formed with a reduced diameter threaded portion 27 which extends through the slot 22 in the support bar 18 and is secured in adjusted position therein by a nut 28. The belt pulleys 21 and 23 are in horizontal alignment and carry, looped between them, a fiat timing belt 29, which may be of leather or rubberized fabric for example. A drive belt 30 (FIGS. 1, 3) communicating between the drive pulley 20 and the pulley of a variable speed electric motor (not illustrated) serves to keep the timing belt 29 in continuous, unidirectional motion while the traversing mechanism is in operation as hereinbelow explained.

Slidably arranged between the cross bars 15, 16 and on the guide rod 17 is a rectangular traverse carriage body member 31. The traverse carriage body member 31 is formed with bosses 32 at each side and having a side-toside bore 33 through which the guide rod 17 extends. The front and back faces of the carriage body member 31 are in face-to-face sliding contact with the opposed inner faces of the cross bars 16, 15, respectively.

A rectangular recess 34 is provided in the front surface of the carriage body member 31, allowing passage of the timing belt 29 (FIGS. 3, 4, and 5).

Means is provided to clampingly engage the carriage body member 31 with one or the other, selectively, of the upper and lower lengths of the timing belt 29. To this end, there is fixed within recess 34 of the carriage body member 31, as by machine screws 35, a rectangular anvil 36 having upper and lower fiat surfaces 37, 38 in close proximity to the inner surfaces of the upper and lower lengths, respectively, of the timing belt 29. Opposed, vertical upper and lower cylinder bores 39, 40, are formed a in the carriage body member 31 within which are slidingly disposed upper and lower pistons 41, 42 respectively, having axial piston rod portions 43, 44 terminating in flat rectangular clamp plates 45, 46, respectively. The clamp plates are interconnected for simultaneous motion by corner guide pins 47 slidable in guide pin openings 48 in the anvil 36 (see FIGS. 4, 5, and 6).

Pneumatic means is provided for forcing one or the other, selectively of the pistons 41, 42 outwardly in its bore so that its clamp plate will clamp corresponding upper or lower lengths of the timing belt 29 against the anvil 36, while unclamping the other length. To this end, the inner ends of the upper and lower cylinder bores 39, communicate, through conduits 49, 50 (see FIG. 4) and flexible hoses 51, 52 (see FIG. 3), with the outlet ports 53, 54, respectively, of a pneumatically-controlled transfer valve device 55, (see FIG. 2) supplied with a source of air under pressure (not illustrated) through an inlet conduit 56. The pneumatically-controlled transfer valve 55 has an interior spool member centrally located therein and operative to selectively close off one or the other of outlet ports 53, 54 with respect to the air under pressure being supplied to the transfer valve through the air inlet conduit 56. Air bleeder operators 57, 58 are connected respectively, to control outlets 59, 60 of the transfer valve 55, said bleeder operators having depressable control buttons 61, 62, respectively. Actuation of the control button 57 causes a pressure reduction at one end of the transfer valve 55 which in turn, causes the interior spool to move to the left, opening valve means associated with outlet port 53 to transfer air pressure from conduit 52 to conduit 51. Actuation of the control button 58 similarly causes the valve spool to move to the right, opening valve means associated with the outlet port 54 to transfer air pressure from conduit 51 to conduit 52. Since pneumatically-controlled transfer valves of the type hereinabove described are known, they are not further detailed herein.

Means is provided for actuating the bleeder operators 57, 58 for reversing the pistons 41, 42 at the ends of the length of travel of the traverse carriage body member 31, (see FIG. 4). To this end, annular stop collars 63, 64 are adjustably positioned along a transverse control rod 69 slidably arranged at each end in the bushings 13a, 14a in support bars 13, 14. The control rod 69 is disposed in spaced parallel relation above the carriage body member 31. The collars 63, 64 are located at each side of the carriage body member 31 and are so positioned as to be contacted by a boss 70 affixed to a standard 68 extending upwardly from the top of said carriage member. The collars 63, 64 are individually adjustably secured to the control rod 69 by thumb screws 65. The control rod 69 has secured thereon near one end an annular cam mem ber 66, a peripheral edge portion of which is normally disposed between outer rounded surface portions of the bleeder operator control buttons 61, 62 and in actuating contact with one or the other of said buttons. The bleeder operators 57, 58 are fixed with respect to the machine framework as by a bracket 67 (see FIG. 1). As illustrated in FIG. 1, movement of the carriage body member 31 to the left will eventually cause the boss 70 at the front thereof to abut the stop collar 63, whereupon the control rod 69 will be moved to the left in its bushings 13a, 1411. As soon as the transverse guide rod begins its movement to the left, the cam member 66 will be moved out of actuating position with respect to control button 62 and into actuating position with respect to the control button 61 associated with the bleeder operator 57. As described above, the pneumatically-controlled transfer valve 55 will thereupon be actuated to transfer air under pressure from flexible hose 52 to the flexible hose 51, to reverse the air pressure from the lower cylinder 40 to the upper cylinder 39, thereby instantly releasing the clamping action against the lower length or section of the timing belt 29 and effecting clamping against the upper length or section of said belt to immediately effect the reversal of travel direction of the traverse carriage body member 31. When in its travel in the reverse direction, the boss 70 at the front of the carriage body member 31 comes into engagement with the stop collar 64, the control rod 69 will be moved to the right sufficiently so that its cam member 66 will deactuate the bleeder operator 57 and actuate the bleeder operator 53, and thus control the transfer valve 55 so that air pressure will be returned again to the lower cylinder 40, whereupon the lower length of the timing belt will be clamped to again immediately reverse the direction of travel of the traverse body member 31. It will be apparent that the setting of the stop members 63, 64 along the control rod 69 determines the end positions of the carriage body member 31, and that their setting can be accomplished while the machine is running to secure proper traverse by trial and error. It will also be apparent that speed of traverse can readily be controlled by adjusting the speed of the drive motor which powers the timing belt 29. Any appropriate guide mechanism can be connected to the cylindrical standard 68 fixed to and extending upwardly from the top of the traverse carriage body member 31, depending upon the application of the traversing mechanism.

While I have described and illustrated herein only one form in which the invention can conveniently be embodied in practice it is to be understood that this embodiment is given by way of example only and not in a limiting sense. The invention, in brief, is limited only by the scope and spirit of the following claims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A traversing mechanism comprising, in combination, a pair of spaced apart pulleys, an endless timing belt looped between said pulleys, means to drive one of said pulleys continuously in one direction to cause said belt to move unidirectionally around said pulleys to provide spaced parallel belt sections moving in opposite directions, a traverse carriage body member, means mounting said carriage body member for sliding motion along the directions of motion of said belt sections, means on said carriage body member, and including pistons movable in cylinders therein, air pressure means for selectively actuaating said pistons and valve means for controlling said air pressure means, for selectively clamping against one or the other of said belt sections for moving said carriage member slidingly along with said selected belt section, means controlled by the position of said carrier body member along the extent of said belt loop for reversing said clamping action with respect to said belt sections, said carriage body member mounting means comprising a guide rod arranged parallel with the directions of motions of said belt sections and means constraining said carriage body member to reciprocal motion along the length of said guide rod, a control rod in spaced parallel relation with respect to said guide rod and mounted for limited axial motion, a pair of stop members adjustably fixed along each end of said control rod and adapted to be alternately contacted by said means constraining said carriage body member at its end positions along said guide rod for axially moving said control rod back and forth in said axial motion supporting means, and means including a cam means fixed on said control rod and bleeder valves in longitudinal contact with said cam, said bleeder valves utilized as limit transfer members controlled by movement of said carriage for repeatedly reversing said carriage direction.

2. A traversing mechanism as defined in claim 1 wherein said valve means comprises an air transfer device having a pair of outlet ports and means for selectively transferring said air pressure means between said outlet ports, said outlet ports being in communication with one each of said cylinders.

3. A traversing mechanism as defined in claim 2 wherein said means for selectively transferring said air pressure 3,400,594 5 6 means comprises a pair of bleeder operators and means References Cited controlled by the direction of axial movement of said con- UNITED STATES PATENTS trol rod for selectively actuating said bleeder operators.

4. A traversing mechanism as defined in claim 3 where- 614,139 11/1898 Smlth 137-596 in said means for actuating said bleeder operators com- 5 940,643 11/1909 Marsllan 137 625'6 prises a cam member fixed with respect to said control rod 2,535,785 12/1950 Cour 137 596 near one end thereof, said bleeder operators being located 3,029,649 4/1962 Steyh 74' 37 in close proximity at each side of said cam member to be mechanically alternately actuated thereby as said guide FRED MATTERN Prlmary Examme" rod moves back and forth in its axial direction. 10 W. S. RATLIFF, Assistant Examiner. 

